Boost Your Health with Regular Exercise and Activity
Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health.
- Reduces your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes or cancer
- Reduces your risk of stroke, dementia, osteoporosis, and obesity
- Helps with your mood, sleep, and overall quality of life
Despite the many health benefits of exercise and activity, most Americans, including many people who live and work in Federal Way, Washington, do not get enough. According to the US Department of Health (DOH), 80% of Americans do not meet the recommendations for physical activity. A lack of activity is negatively impacting our health. About half of American adults have a preventable chronic disease. The good news is that exercise positively impacts seven of the ten most common preventable chronic diseases.
That leads to the question:
Are you getting enough exercise and activity?
Preschoolers
(ages 3 – 5)
3+ hours of physical activity daily
Adults
2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly
+
muscle-strengthening activities 2+ days a week
Children and Adolescents
(ages 6 – 17)
60+ minutes of activity daily
Older Adults
(ages 65 and older)
2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly
+
muscle-strengthening activities 2+ days a week
+
additional components, such as balance training
Preschoolers
(ages 3 – 5)
3+ hours of physical activity daily
Children and Adolescents
(ages 6 – 17)
60+ minutes of activity daily
Adults
2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly
+
muscle-strengthening activities 2+ days a week
Older Adults
(ages 65 and older)
2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly
+
muscle-strengthening activities 2+ days a week
+
additional components, such as balance training
Your Physical Therapist Can Help You Move in Comfort
If you are falling short on exercise and physical activity, you may not think of your physical therapist as someone who can help, but you should! Physical therapists have extensive training in anatomy, physiology, and movement science.
Physical therapists can help get anybody moving!
Great Times to See a Physical Therapist to Help with Your Fitness
- You are recovering from an injury or surgery.
- You have pain or limitations that affect your movement.
- You have a chronic condition that affects your fitness, like arthritis.
- You need help improving your balance or preventing falls.
- You want a personalized program that addresses specific weaknesses or imbalances.
Your physical therapist can work with your physicians and medical team to ensure your workouts are safe.
As you progress, your physical therapist can work with professionals like strength coaches and personal trainers to help you take your fitness to the next level.
With your physical therapist’s guidance, you can address limitations, prevent injuries, and design a personalized program that keeps you motivated and moving towards a healthier you.
Get Back to the Life You Love!
Schedule an appointment in our Federal Way clinic, or contact us to discover how our physical therapists can make it easy to get active again and enjoy the life you love.
Citations
- Physical Activity Improves Your Health and Quality of Life
- Home Exercise From a Physical Therapist
- Tips to Avoid Overtraining
- Building motivation and sustainability into the prescription and recommendations for physical activity and exercise therapy: The evidence, Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 25:5-6, 424-441.
DOI: 1080/09593980902835344 - The physical therapist’s role in physical activity promotion. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2009;43:99-101.
- Improving Adherence to Exercise: Do People With Knee Osteoarthritis and Physical Therapists Agree on the Behavioral Approaches Likely to Succeed? Arthritis Care Res, 70: 388-397.
- Periodization and physical therapy: Bridging the gap between training and rehabilitation